Alys Delara grew up in Stonegate with her human mother. She had been separated in infancy from her father, an elf whose name she had neverheard uttered, and her twin brother Alyn who remained with her father. Alys was always aware that they were somewhere out there in the world, perhaps still in Kisah, but her mother found it so painful to speak of Alys' father and eventually she gave up on asking. From the time she was old enough to run about on her own and as soon as her chores were complete Alys would run away to the woods not far from Stonegate, exploring their depths and enjoying the peace to be found there. She was always aware that the animals of the forest, far from being disturbed at her presence, seemed to keep a benevolent eye upon herespecially the large hawks up in the branches of the canopy.

As she grew older she learned more from the animals that she watched as they watched her. It wasa peculiar day when Alys' life changed forever. She had finished her chores early and as was her habit packed a small meal to carry with her to the woods. As she walked deep into the woods a strange mist came up. She sat down leaning against a tree trunk thinking to wait for the mist to lift before going further. Remarkably, it did lift but with none of the slowness of a natural fog. Raining down upon her came a soft fall of hawk feathers of all varieties,never had she seen so many varieties of feathers yet somehow she knew they all belonged to the Hawk. She blinked in disbelief at the display and in that second all were gone, all save one, which remained dangling from her hair. Clutching the feather to her Alys carefully placed it in her belt pouch reverently ensuring that it would not be crushed or damaged in any way. From that day forward Alys began her service to the Hawk.